In one of the stranger afternoon Christmas announcements by the Government (see above) late yesterday the office of Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor announced that cruise ships would now be able to visit Christmas Island.
That’s right, the destination for hundreds of asylum seekers can now be accessed in luxury aboard the Pacific Sun Cruise Ship.
Upon receiving this yesterday The Punch had to make sure that it wasn’t a joke. Check out some of these lines in the release:
“This is an historic moment,” Mr O’Connor said. “Passengers will be able to explore this unique natural paradise and experience the cultural diversity of this remote island.”
According to Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson, the Australian Government recognizes the enormous economic contribution tourism makes throughout regional and remote Australia. “Which is why we have upgraded the island’s mooring system and landing facilities to accommodate cruise ships,” Mr Ferguson said.
In all fairness to Christmas Island it actually seems like quite a nice place to visit, it’s just that you’d think the last thing this Government would be doing was advertising that the island’s just improved its mooring facilities.
Not to be out done by the good folks at P&O, Virgin announced that it would flying twice weekly flight to Christmas and Cocos Keeling islands. O’Connor again was on the case straight away:
“I am pleased that Australia’s second largest airline will provide air services to these remote communities, and excited by the potential tourism benefits that this contract could bring to the Island’s economy,” Mr O’Connor said.
Besides the fact that overnight Christmas Island seems to have been blessed with better transport infrastructure than Sydney, I’m surprised P&O and Virgin aren’t offering discount to similarly maligned destinations for the politically conscious.
I wonder what Guantamo Bay is like this time of year?
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